by Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports

by Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports

Just as forward Amar'e Stoudemire had begun to make an impact for the New York Knicks, he is sidelined, this time with an ailing right knee.

Stoudemire will undergo a debridement on his right knee next week and miss approximately six weeks, which amounts to the remainder of the regular season, the Knicks announced Saturday.

"We can't sit and sulk," Knicks coach Mike Woodson told reporters.

A debridement is a procedure to remove dead or damaged tissue or bone in an attempt to heal the ailing area. Stoudemire underwent the process on his left knee just before the regular season began and missed the first two months of the regular season.

He returned Jan. 1 and had been coming off the bench. It took Stoudemire about a month to find his role and his game, but since Feb. 1, Stoudemire has averaged 15.5 points and 5.6 rebounds, including 20 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in New York's past three games.

No time is a good time for an injury, but this is bad news for the 37-22 Knicks, who are 5-6 in the their past 11 games. All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony has missed the past two games with a bothersome right knee and was expected to sit out Saturday's game against the Utah Jazz.

The Knicks in are a tight playoff race for the second seed in the Eastern Conference and a tight race for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Indiana Pacers have a half-game lead on the Knicks for second place in the East, and the Knicks lead the Brooklyn Nets - who are in fourth place in the East - by 2½ games in the division.